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04/17/2008 08:31:40 AM · #51 |
Originally posted by geoffb:
That banner came in for me at 1.5 MB. |
Me too... |
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04/17/2008 08:36:17 AM · #52 |
yeah me too and it was the last thing to load on the page :)
I experimented in CS2 making one and one the same size came to 97k or something. It's a JPEG. I've sent it over to Mike to get his opinions. Even if the design stinks, it will sure load quicker!
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04/21/2008 10:26:38 AM · #53 |
Week ___:
Yes I've lost track of the weeks already :) what can you say afterbeing sick twice and then my wife getting sick too, days and weeks have just been running one into another.
Of course you all know by now (and if you don't you need to catch up on the posts) While on this endeavor I've kept my day job. One of the reasons I even thought about getting a shop and really moving this business to fulltime is because almost since I started this job (just over a year ago now) the person who helped me get the job has been trying to get me fired from it, by trying his best to make me look bad, incompetent, and lazy, all the while trying to wiggle himself into the boss chair in our office. long story short everything comes to a head next week because our global lead (from Australia) and our North American lead (from Mississauga) are coming to Calgary just to deal with us. Really I Figure it's going to be on of those him or me type of situations, so you may see me talking about how the business will be going full time in a few weeks...lol
now on to the rest:
Thanks to those who took a look at my site and a special thanks to  Tez. I will be resixing all graphics this week and finishing up all the parts of the site that are not yet there. I guess with a fast computer and connection I didn't think that what takes 5 secs for me to load might take longer on another computer.
Good news, on a few new clients: Did my first set of reno photos (the befores) for a new client this week and I'll be looking forward to doing the after photos in a few months time, if this goes well he says he has many friends etc who do the same thing and may want my services. AND, I think for the fist time ever got a call out of the blue from a girl wanting grad/senior photos (I've had many calls for other things just not those), I havn't been advertizing them so I was surprised. she want cap and gown photos (so I'm going to have to find a gown etc.) plus normal seniors photos as well... so obviously I'm doing something right, cuase over all the other companies in town she booked with me :)
Oh and update from grouchy day: I was right about my last discount wedding. after giving her and engagement photo shoot (worth $300), and a full day of shooting ($2000) minus the album and CD I usually add (so now worth $1500) all for $510 + tax. she called us up on Saturday appauled at our prices and mad that she didn't get a fully edited CD of HER photos for free. Even though when we signed with her we told her (and have it written in the contract) that we would do the shooting and she would have to pay for the photo's. I guess it is true; you pay for what you value... thye valued their open bar, not the photography... oh well on to bigger and better.
BTW If you're still reading at this point congratulations...lol
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04/22/2008 05:21:08 PM · #54 |
Update:
thanks to all of those who helped here I did eventually find a cap gown and hood at the U of C and it looks like they'll have the right colours. I'm still thinking that I may still by a few hoods later on in the colour of the major high school in town, but that will have to wait for... a while at least. |
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04/22/2008 06:26:53 PM · #55 |
FYI Still Reading :)
Feel like we're going through a lot of the same things. First few Senior sessions are rolling in, First Wedding next month, first event last month... Maybe we're southern cousins.
Originally posted by Eyesup:
Week ___:
BTW If you're still reading at this point congratulations...lol |
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04/23/2008 08:43:55 AM · #56 |
| Congrats on having the balls to do it! And all the best for the future, I can't wait to hear how it progresses... |
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04/28/2008 01:30:02 PM · #57 |
Week 11:
I guess only 11 isn't that bad... when I look back on that I'm not sure about how much has changed... but then again
1) almost completly redone the website (still not done though)
2) Got into the yellowPages for next year (let's see how that works and if not... well...)
3) Adds in our area Shepherds guides (and as the only listed photographer to boot)
4) We'll also have out photo's on the cover of the shepherds guide... that's big!
5) book one school and one just finishing up with deciding (but appearantly it looks positive
on the other hands there is still a very long ways to go...
- Still looking for a space
- Still working to put together the money to get said space
- Still looking for WAY more bookings (though being the the Shepherds guide and yellow pages maay help)
- Still need to finish my website (and ther is a fair bit to do)
- Still need to get that d300 (cause I hate the d50 as a wedding back up)
- Still a ton of other things to do
but hey making progress is good, and in the meanwhile I'm shooting whenever possible so I can get better at making photos cause hey, what good is the business if I suck at taking pictues. :)
such are the Chronicles of One |
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04/28/2008 02:21:23 PM · #58 |
I takes time, and some unkown luck/kharma or something.
April I admit I didn't work too hard at - I have a ton of work to do not directly related to taking photos (finish an addition to my house, build a shed, sidewalks, my mother in law moved in with us for a while, etc).
April has been the slowest month, income wise, in over 2 years. But May will be an all time record month- you've got to be able to deal with the ups and downs!
After nearly 4 years of working at this it's finally starting to pay off - it just takes a while for your name to get out there, for WOM to start working, etc.
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05/01/2008 06:12:44 PM · #59 |
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
I takes time, and some unkown luck/kharma or something.
April I admit I didn't work too hard at - I have a ton of work to do not directly related to taking photos (finish an addition to my house, build a shed, sidewalks, my mother in law moved in with us for a while, etc).
April has been the slowest month, income wise, in over 2 years. But May will be an all time record month- you've got to be able to deal with the ups and downs!
After nearly 4 years of working at this it's finally starting to pay off - it just takes a while for your name to get out there, for WOM to start working, etc. |
Good to know that I'm not the only one who had a fairly slow april...
On the other hand that Storm at my current day job has blown over and it's passed with my job intact... :) so I still have a bit more time to build the business before the next storm comes :) |
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05/05/2008 10:34:36 AM · #60 |
Week 13?:
Ya I think that's it... hapfully not an unlucky week :) last couple of weeks have been interestng because my 9-5 situation was sort of up in the air... but having come out of that (and just barely for me and my cocorker involved it turns out) with my job still in place. it's come time to turn my attentions away from that whole mess and focus back on this business... the past many weeks I've been too stress and busy with my 9-5 situation that my photography has truly suffered.
So to the news.
1) got to have a sit down with a modling agency in town that is looking to add a photographer to theri ranks. they have one or two but are looking to expand. Now I've not got alot of experiance with fashion and Glamour photography but it looks like they're willing to take a chance on me... I guess it helps that when I walk into the place I realised that I know the owner of the agency (use to go to church with him). so hopfully in the next few weeks I'll be getting my start in the fashion and modling world... which makes me glad that I'm on the lose wieght thread cause walking into that place made me feel so fat!
2)Wedding seasion is upon us all know and with that in mind I've been brushing up and getting ready for the rush and fanfare (sometimes) that is wedding seasion... my main goal this summer is to move from good photographer with good portfolio to GREAT photographer with GREAT portfolio... which means that from now on I've got to be on my A game.
So with my resent boughts with sickness hopefully completely out of the way (with the exception of a recurrance of some athma symptoms) and my work situation stablized... I'm really hoping that the rest of the summer is going to be a line drive to completing my goals! |
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06/06/2008 05:49:53 PM · #61 |
Week ___
Really there hasn't been a heck of a lot to write so I havn't writen however a few new things have come up so I'll give a breif update.
Next wedding of the summer is next weekend! it will be in sunny Kelowna, BC. the B&G are supper and want to do all sorts of fun things including some beach shots (And she's not adverse to getting a bit wet) I really looking forward to it! and with the new D300 (which we got this week so that I have time to get to know it) I'm really looking forward to some great shots.
We've been selected as a Photographer for the Sun and Salsa Pagent here in Calgary in July! We get to take pictures of the pageant all day and then we get to do a photoshoot (at some later date)with the runner up,the deal is she gets an 8x10 print and 3 digital files and then she has the option to buy any others she wants (their rules not mine). the best part is we get our name and logo on all their promotional material as a sponsor, our name announced as a sponsor over the loud speakers durring the event, A table where we can put some promotional stuff (unmanned unfortunatly), and we can put something in the gift bag that all particpants get as well!... not bad for a few pictures! this is going to be a great opportunity to get our name out there and get some more great photos!
I did my first Model shoot last week and (if she doesn't bail on me) will be doing another one tomorrow, and have atleast 2 more confirmed. these are all TF works but will help me build a portfolio, the end Game is a friends of mine runs a model agency and is looking for new photographers. When I went to him the first time all I had was my portrait work to show... next time I sit infront of him I fully intend to have a portfolio much better suited to what he wants... if he likes it will turn into lots of extra work (and well paid I might add) for us.
and of course... 2 new toys this week... 1) the grip for my d200 and 2) my new d300!!!! got to go play with it lots over the next week but even from just holding it I can tell I'm going to like it lots.!
Guess that's it for now :)
Stay tuned... same Bat time, same Bat channel! |
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06/07/2008 10:52:29 AM · #62 |
I had a rocking may. Most from shooting 2 sports leagues (soccer and baseball) but everything seemed to hit at one time. I did as much in sales in May as I did in all of 2006.
got a wedding today in 90+ degree heat..outdoors and the reception isn't air conditioned...I am not looking forward to being hot and sweaty, but everyone I take pics of will look hot and sweaty too. Oh well I suppose. It's the memory that matters, right? :P
Congrats on the Pageant deal! I did something similar last year for the county fair and had a blast. Not sure it got my any business, but it was fun anyway.
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07/09/2008 09:54:31 AM · #63 |
I've completely lost tract of what week this is.... oh well.
So I haven't been around DPC much the past week and a bit because I've been rediculosly busy. between weddings, model shoots (which is new territory for me), and portrait sessions, and the fact that I still work a full time job, I've been swamped... on the plus side the extra income has meant that I've been able to do a few things:
a) updated home office with new desk (now we have 2 l shaped desks beside eachother for extra desk space), a new computer is on the way... and of course the new D300 previously mentioned
b) bought sucessware to help keep track of everything... I must say that I'm impressed with the program
c) squirelling away money for my eventual leap to full time
d) got into the yellow pages (still highly used in our area...plus web listing)
got to say things have been going fairly well... and the images I'm capturing this year don't even compare to last. That I can atribute to NYIP, but mostly to being here and learning what I have.
I'm fairly sure now though that we're not going to have a seperate studio space by this september, but that's ok for the moment. with 2 schools coming up and christmas party season coming as well (and no new major purchase planned) we'll be pushing our plans for a space back to the new year, which just makes it much more feasable to make iit happen, and do it right when we do.
Well that's really it... not much, but what do you do... I'm sure I'll have more next time I update :)
Cheers |
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07/09/2008 09:59:19 AM · #64 |
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07/09/2008 01:32:39 PM · #65 |
thanks... good thing I can spell today :) |
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08/20/2008 11:14:26 AM · #66 |
Week 27:
My how time flies when you're having fun eh?
So with the craziness of wedding season almost over, and the fall season of schools, team, portraits, and events, soon to start, I can easily say that this summer has not turned out completely the way I had planned (of course it never really does in the end does it). From my OP we have taken a step back and re-evaluated things several times, and made course corrections as we've been going...
- we've saked the idea of leasing an actually space for the time being (it's way too expensive in Calgary)
- We've dumped respond.com... they were good for what they are but with only 1 of every 10 leads ending up in even a phone call, and even then usually thy had alreay found someone... we decided the service wasn't worth it at the time (btw $10/lead)
- We've picked up an account with Pictage and how found their quality of prints and services to be outstanding ($20/month right now but ther regular is $99/month) our sales per wedding has also gone way up using them
- the husband o a friend of mine wanted to learn about people photography etc. so he's been shadowing (read assistant) me to weddings etc. he's gotten pretty good, so rather than truning him looseto become competition, I've offered him a job helping me (on an as needed bases as he already has a day job)
- We've put an emphasis on customer service this summer, and changed what we offer, how we charge, where we get our stuff, etc. last summer price was a major determinant, now quality is... we et the quality stuff, and our customers have been very happy to pay fo it. So better prints, better albums, better frames, better canvasses, better thankyou cards better everything! yes, the customer pays more, for the items... but I'v found they also buy more when the quality is high.
- We've also been working very hard on workflow and trying to get things as streamlines and efficiant as possible successware has helped us do that to a great extent, as well as keep track of appointments bookings, pricing, and planning... it's been well worth the money and I would recommend it for anyone.
As I said before we've scrapped the idea of leasing a retail spot, but then got the idea of building a garage instead... we still have to look into the bylaws etc, inregards to that here, but that may be the option we go with... studio goes to the garage, office goes to the basement where the studio was so we have more office space... and all is well and happy. We're getting some estimates on how much that all will cost.
Lets see... our to schools are coming us net month... it just 125 kids total, but then again that 125 new clients and that's good thing... we're also starting our gears o the christmas season...
Guess that's really it for the time being... we are getting closer and closer to the goal of me being able to quit... on a realated note, it would be even better if they fired me, cause then I'd have a few weeks severance, and our EI (employment insurance) program in Canada has a small bussiness grant program, that I could possibly get in on... so... ya... maybe I just need to not be as good at my job as I am...lol
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08/20/2008 11:52:26 AM · #67 |
Just a note on the "getting fired" and collecting UI. You better have a closer look at that as last I saw, if you quit or get fired you cant collect UI or it can be extremely difficult to obtain... Just a little food for thought.
-dave
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08/20/2008 12:42:58 PM · #68 |
Originally posted by dknourek:
Just a note on the "getting fired" and collecting UI. You better have a closer look at that as last I saw, if you quit or get fired you cant collect UI or it can be extremely difficult to obtain... Just a little food for thought.
-dave |
don't worry, I don't really intend on getting myself fired :) |
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08/21/2008 10:51:52 AM · #69 |
Originally posted by dknourek:
Just a note on the "getting fired" and collecting UI. You better have a closer look at that as last I saw, if you quit or get fired you cant collect UI or it can be extremely difficult to obtain... Just a little food for thought.
-dave |
varies by state. Here in PA it's possible to quit and collect...PA is very employee oriented in that regard, and compared to Ohio at least pays well on UI.
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08/21/2008 10:54:21 AM · #70 |
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
Originally posted by dknourek:
Just a note on the "getting fired" and collecting UI. You better have a closer look at that as last I saw, if you quit or get fired you cant collect UI or it can be extremely difficult to obtain... Just a little food for thought.
-dave |
varies by state. Here in PA it's possible to quit and collect...PA is very employee oriented in that regard, and compared to Ohio at least pays well on UI. |
Maybe I should move to PA.... Alberta especially is quite draconian when it comes to workers rights... |
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08/22/2008 10:01:40 AM · #71 |
PA was a big union state - Steel Workers mostly but also a lot of mine workers and teamsters too. If you are in the agricultural end of things it's very different - lots fewer restrictions on safety, hours worked, pay and more.
Message edited by author 2008-08-22 10:01:52.
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09/24/2008 01:33:58 PM · #72 |
Lol, I can give you some info re EI - did a 6-mth term with the EI Program before returning to Health Canada.
If you quit/get fired you MAY be eligible depending on the circumstances BUT you would have to declare your income from your photography while on your claim which, with the current EI rates, would probably cancel out anything you'd be able to collect. If it hasn't changed, on a regular claim you can collect a maximum of $435/week through EI and are allowed to earn $50 before any deductions. So...if you make more than $485/week through your photography, there goes your EI payment! AND - if I remember right, because your self-employment is not in farming, you have to declare earnings for the week that services were performed, not when you actually get paid. So, for example, you shoot a wedding this weekend but they don't pay you until a month later, you still have to claim THIS WEEKEND as income.
Phew! And this is why I was so happy to return to Health Canada! :-) |
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09/24/2008 01:44:00 PM · #73 |
Originally posted by ivale28:
Lol, I can give you some info re EI - did a 6-mth term with the EI Program before returning to Health Canada.
If you quit/get fired you MAY be eligible depending on the circumstances BUT you would have to declare your income from your photography while on your claim which, with the current EI rates, would probably cancel out anything you'd be able to collect. If it hasn't changed, on a regular claim you can collect a maximum of $435/week through EI and are allowed to earn $50 before any deductions. So...if you make more than $485/week through your photography, there goes your EI payment! AND - if I remember right, because your self-employment is not in farming, you have to declare earnings for the week that services were performed, not when you actually get paid. So, for example, you shoot a wedding this weekend but they don't pay you until a month later, you still have to claim THIS WEEKEND as income.
Phew! And this is why I was so happy to return to Health Canada! :-) |
Good to know! thanks! for the moment I'm sticking wit my day job... it's tiring going to work a then coming home to work, but for now it works...
For those waiting for an update it's coming
Been busy with some models, some corprate stuff, and doing my first school... so more to come when I have a bit to really write something down. |
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10/10/2008 12:53:55 PM · #74 |
Week something:
So it's been a bit since I last had the time to update this chronicle of one... which has really become more of a chronicle of two over the summer, as my wife  eyesdown has been taking a much more active role in the business.
The summer has definatly note gone the way I planned it. I think mostly because of my lack in planning prowess more than anything else... this isn't to say that things haven't been busy, and not to say that we're not making progress towards our goals... cause we are, but it is definitely happening differently than I thought.
The summer, was of course full of weddings! and while we did a great job and got some stellar photo's, we didn't make very much on the early ones, mostly because my pricing was all wrong! and my sales technique... well... ya... anyway about halfway through the summer I bought success ware and it has really helped us to bring some focus to our pricing model and how we track and fulfill orders. I also took a look at what we were offering and how we were offering it, and made many changes... the result is that the last wedding I did we made about $2000 in sales above the package itself!... so now there's only one wedding left for us this year, a smaller one, but I'm hoping that we'll be able to make a bit of a windfall on that as well... now it's on to looking for net years bookings which are coming in slower this year, but that's also because of of a few changes we made to how we market (which created a gap of several months).
Right now we're in the throws of school photo's. we were lucky enough to get one private school and one preschool to book us for school photos this year... I sal lucky because we really didn't have much to show them by way of portfolio, but I guess confidence is key sometimes :) We've done all the photography for the two school and are now busy getting the proofs done and sent back to the schools. in some ways this is more work than I imagined... but then in some way's it's less... elementary kids and younger don't have alot in the way of blemishes, so I don't have to worry about that at all, and with good lighting, etc. there is not much in the way of editing at all, except for a bit of LR adjusting... all in all I'm looking forward to seeing what we make off of this, and hopefully we'll be asked back for next year. We also plan on trying to convince some of the smaller school districts to books us for next year.
the preschool also asked us to do a fundraiser with them, which is someething we've never really done, so we ran it like we would run a regular even except that each family booked a 10 min slot... in hind sight it should have been at least 20 mins, but what do you do... we had 18 familys show (and 4 no shows... to bad) and the averae sale was $130... not bad I would say... and it as popular enough that they are considering running it for another night and opening it u to Alumni of the preschool as well... not bad
We'll that's it for the moment... back to my now ultra annoying job... |
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10/10/2008 06:48:32 PM · #75 |
It's interesting to see how things develop, isn't it? The best plans won't always come about and sometime some off the wall something (luck, karma?) gets a hold of you.
My weddings are also booking more slowly than I'd like. I;m working on a pricing revamp that might solve that a bit. I'm too busy to give it much attention. I just want to CATCH UP! THen when I see a good idea it won't take 7 months to implement it (like putting pricing in a nice high end folio to hand folks when they're in the studio for a view and choose session!).
I got my window wall in today (rough work anyway - siding tomorrow, paint sunday). and the old nasty garage door is laying in the yard. Wiring should be finished on sunday as well - then off to find a drywaller and get the furnace in before he arrives.
Booked 2 more jobs today and a consult, so the work keeps coming in.
How you do it and have a regular job I don't know!
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